Wondering if you're pregnant? In this article, we explain the symptoms of a possible pregnancy.
I don't have my period: am I pregnant?
Amenorrhea, the absence of menstrual periods, is THE known symptom of pregnancy. If you have a regular menstrual cycle and your periods are late, you may be wondering whether you're pregnant. In fact, menstruation is due to a drop in the levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone if the egg has not been fertilized. But in the event of pregnancy, the level of these hormones remains high, and menstruation does not reappear until some time after the birth.
However, delayed menstruation is not necessarily linked to pregnancy; it can also be caused by a delay in ovulation, major weight loss, an emotional shock or period of stress, or a change in contraception or the use of emergency contraception.
On the other hand, some menstruating women - around 1 in 4 - have an anniversary period on the date of their period, even though they are pregnant. This is due to nidation of the embryo, which may be accompanied by a little bleeding. Anniversary periods are generally less abundant, and tend to be pinkish, blackish or brownish, rather than red.
To avoid any unpleasant surprises, you can wear our menstrual panties during pregnancy.
What are the symptoms of pregnancy?
When you're pregnant, one of the first signs to appear is swelling and hypersensitivity of the breasts. Your breasts may feel heavy and tense. This is due to the action of estrogen. However, it also happens to some menstruating women during the premenstrual period, so it's not an infallible symptom. However, if breast swelling is associated with delayed menstruation, there's a good chance you're pregnant. What's more, if this is the case, the nipples and areola will also gradually change color, becoming darker, with small granular swellings.
Nausea and vomiting are also symptoms of pregnancy. However, not all menstruating women suffer from nausea and vomiting to the same degree, since some have almost no symptoms at all, while others may experience nausea and vomiting throughout the first trimester. Even so, one in two women suffers from nausea, particularly in the morning. You may suddenly feel disgusted by certain foods and, conversely, crave certain foods.
During pregnancy, you may also feel pain in your lower abdomen and a tugging sensation in your groin. This is because estrogen causes the ligaments to soften, allowing the belly to expand.
What are the lesser-known symptoms of pregnancy?
During the first weeks of pregnancy, you may also experience heartburn, heaviness after meals, or bloating. Constipation is not uncommon either. Our advice? Eat fiber-rich foods and drink plenty of water.
During pregnancy, your sense of smell often becomes very sensitive. As a result, certain smells can suddenly disgust you, and this can be the cause of nausea.
From the start of pregnancy, the uterus grows and presses on the bladder. That's why you may feel the need to urinate frequently. Empty your bladder regularly and continue to drink plenty of water!
Temperature is a very good indicator of pregnancy. At the moment of ovulation, the temperature rises slightly (by a few tenths of a degree), then stabilizes for 14 days before dropping again. But if fertilization has taken place, the temperature does not drop again after 14 days. You can therefore check your temperature every morning and create a curve with these measurements. If your temperature remains high and stable for more than 15 days, you're probably pregnant.
Progesterone has receptors in the brain and acts on the whole nervous system, which would explain this feeling of exhaustion, especially during the first weeks of the first trimester of pregnancy. So get as much rest as you can!
During pregnancy, it's not uncommon for menstruating women to experience major mood swings, from laughter to tears. Don't worry, it's all down to hormones! And it can be fleeting or last for most of the pregnancy.
What to do if you think you're pregnant?
If you experience any or all of these symptoms and wonder whether you're pregnant, the first thing to do is to take a pregnancy test from the first day your period is late. These are available from chemists or supermarkets, and give a quick and fairly reliable initial result (99%). We also recommend that you perform the test on your first morning's urine, as this is more concentrated.
If the test proves positive, it must be confirmed by a blood test. Now's the time to make an appointment with your gynecologist or midwife!
